Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans five years ago this week. Katrina's impact went beyond the loss of life and property to reveal deeply rooted attitudes about race many Americans thought had withered away. Jo Ann and Dave talked about the various aspects of Katrina's impacts, including the permanent displacement of over 100,000 residents, the reshaping of the city and the federal indictments against the New Orleans police.

The conversation doesn't end when the program does. You can join in additional discussion of the week's issue on our blog at kboo.fm/voicesfromtheedge (click on the "blog" tab). You'll find additional information, important links, comments from other listeners and commentary from Jo Ann and Dave. Have a question for our guests, but can't call in during the program? Post your questions on line so we can make them a part of the Voices discussion.

Abe and Joe examine the billionaire backers of the Tea Party movement.

The Teabaggers -- noisy, bigoted and ignorant, but basically harmless, right? And if we're lucky, they'll hijack the Republican Party and nominate a bunch of un-electable loons. The best thing the Teabaggers can do is to keep making asses of themselves in public.

But what if they have friends in high places? A bombshell article by Jane Mayer in the New Yorker paints a vivid portrait of two such highly-placed friends. David and Charles Koch, the patriarch sublings of Koch Industries, are philanthropists of note -- and also deep-pocketed backers of the Tea Party and other conservative causes. Abe and Joe delve into the New Yorker piece and discuss the role of big money in today's discourse.

Hosted by Clayton Morgareidge, this program looks at how medical care is improved when delivered by people who are cooperating rather than being managed from the top; whether charity keeps us from dealing with the real probems; the new Todd Solandz movie Life During Wartime; and music that keeps lost causes from being forgotten so that they may rise again and succeed.

Wealthy people often give large amounts to charity, and everyone is encouraged to contribute to charities. But does charity, besides whatever good it does in the world, distract us from solving the real problems that charity so inadequately deals with? Joe Clement draws on Slavoj Žižek and Oscar Wilde to illuminate these questions. For an animated version of Žižek's remarks, go here. For a fuller version, go here. And to read Oscar Wilde's "Soul of Man Under Socialism," click here.

Host Trillium Shannon speaks with participants in this Saturday's event called "Cascadia-2-Detroit: U.S. Social Forum Report Back. They'll talk about what happened at the Forum and what the relevence of the Forum is here in Portland.

Saturday evening (Aug 28, 7-10pm) a multi-media, interactive reportback on the US Social Forum at Sisters Of The Road (133 NW 6th Ave) featuring live performances by Mic Crenshaw and Danny Kelly. Food and drink provided. FREE.

Abe and Joe debate the merits of TriMet, Portland's much-ballyhooed public transit system.

Portland! Such a livable city! So easy to get around! Well, maybe not. With the discontinuation of decades of service to stops in a NW Portland neighborhood, Abe and Joe discuss whether Portland's public transportation system is making the grade.

We've missed our dear Food Show listeners while on hiatus this summer. So to tide you over until September, Laura McCandlish will bring you an extended audio postcard on the effort to get Willamette Valley grass seed farmers to grow beans and grains for the local market.